10 Life Moments I’d Like to Bottle

Do you guys remember when Pam and Jim got married on The Office, and they had this little secret where they would take a “pretend photo” of a moment they wanted as a keepsake from the wedding? Yeah, the show had long jumped the shark by then, but I thought it was a sweet sentiment. There are some moments that are so wonderful, yet oh-so-fleeting, and I often think to myself, I wish I could bottle that and open it later…when I really need it. Here are ten of my faves:

1. The first time your child smiles at you. Not the gassy smile or the inevitable infant twitch, but a genuine “You make me happy, Mom” smile. I know you. I love you. No matter what. SWOON.

2. That feeling you get when you leave the gym. Come on, you know it’s true. There’s no better high. If you’re like me, you even gloat a little bit as you pass the poor suckers who are dragging their feet on their way in.

3. I want to bottle so many smells — the smell of a newborn’s head (seriously, what kind of crack is that?). The smell inside a Coldstone Creamery (come on, like I can pass once I smell that!). The smell of Thanksgiving. But the one I really want to bottle most is that first smell of spring at night, when you head out the door for a late walk with the dogs and the trees are gently blowing in the breeze. And that smell right there is heaven. It’s promise. It’s hope.

4. The first time you hear your child refer to you as “my mom” when talking to one of his little buddies. “Yeah, that’s me, alright.” LOVE.

5. The high you feel after you’ve gotten together with old friends. Sure, you’ve all told the exact same stories the exact same way, and that’s what’s so wonderful about it. No matter where you all live — in what corners of the country — you’ll reunite and it will ALWAYS be like this. That’s the stuff.

6. The post-belly laugh feeling — tears are running down your face, your abs hurt, and you may have peed a little (I know I do), but there’s no other feeling like it — pure, unadulterated joy. We need more comedy in life.

7. The post-great-movie euphoria — you’ve just seen the best movie of your life and you want to a) call everyone you know and tell them to go see it STAT. b) turn back around and see it again. Twice. c) Crack a bottle of wine and discuss it at length. d) all of the above. It’s definitely “d.”

8. The completely and utterly amazing feeling you get when your child initiates physical affection. My son recently started doing this thing at night where he asks me for “Hugs, Mommy.” Then it’s “More hugs, Mommy.” And so on and so forth. I know it won’t last forever, so I try to figure out a way to remember that squeeze around the heart.

9. The feeling you get when you board the airplane for Destination: Anywhere Cool for a vacation. Honestly — is there anything better?

10. When you’re in your Happy Place. I’ve had therapy for anxiety before, and one counselor in particular always had me envision my happy place. It was always the same — on a super quiet run at the end of a ski day, with no one but myself — so quiet that I could literally hear the snow crunch beneath my skis. For me, it’s the epitome of inner peace.

Have anything to add? Let me hear ’em!

Comments

Here are some:
Christmas Eve, when your kids are old enough and still young enough to enjoy Santa Claus and they can’t stop screaming “Santa is coming Santa is coming” and run to bed to await Christmas Day!

Coming home to your kids after being gone for several days and hearing them say, “I missed you mom.”

Trail running on a beautiful spring day and having that, “moment” when you actually feel so lucky to be alive.

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